Apparatus for controlling the thickness of textile laps



Feb. 13, 1962 JA. R. LONG 3,021,084

APPARATUS'FOR CONTROLLING THE THICKNESS OF TEXTILE LAPS Original FiledDeo. 24, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 L; ZAM

ATTORNEYS Feb. 13, 1962 R LONG 3,021,084

J. APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING THE THICKNESS OF' TEXTILE LAPS OriginalFiled Deo. 24. 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 r 5o f" f 55 V58 z 44 l llaa 45 A'ff 22 u I/( 64x I :77| 52 l V l l; l l l .I 65 I 5T) D 5| 5'5 INVENTOR:JOHN R. LONG.

Fifi FJ ATTORNEYS chine Company, Hickory, N.C., a corporation of NorthCarolina Continuation of application Ser. No. 327,795, Dec. 24, 1952.This application Mar. 19, 1958, Ser. No. 723,080 4 Claims. (Cl. 242-551)'This invention relates to lapping machines such as pickers and the likeand more especially to means for applying and maintaining apredetermined amount of uniform pressure equally on each end of the laproll during formation of the lap thereon.

The application of pressure to the lap as it builds up on the lap rollhas long been recognized in the industry as desirable in order topreserve the integrity of each layer of lap as it is wound on the laproll. In the absence of pressure being applied to the lap as it is woundon the lap roll, or in the event insucient or unever pressure is appliedto the lap, it frequently happens that the fibers making up each layerof the lap become intermingled with fibers in adjacent layers of the lapand this is undesirable because it results in splitting of the lapduring subsequent processing.

Absence of pressure or insufficient pressure on the lap as it is woundon the roll is also detrimental in that it decreases the density of thelap and thereby results in decreased production for a given diameter oflap.

Prior to my invention the means customarily employed in the industry forimparting pressure to the lap roll comprised mechanical linkage and deadWeight systems such as shown in U.S. Patent No. 1,037,327 to Rogers andBritish Patent No. 12,292 of 1899 to Dugdale et al. These systems employeither a friction brake device or a rack and pinion to apply pressure tothe lap and the use of such devices results in either a constant buildup of pressure as the lap forms on the roll or interrnittent build upand release of pressure during formation of the lap. lIn either eventthe rst few layers of lap are wound on the roll under insutiicientpressure and must-be discarded as waste. l

Such prior mechanical systems are not capable of delivering andmaintaining a uniform predetermined amount of pressure on the lapthroughout its width and length and moreover the amount o f pressureimparted to the lap by these prior systems is limited so that they arenot capable of delivering as much pressure to the lap as the presentinvention. Efforts to increase the amount of pressure in such systemshave merely accentuated the lack of uniformity of pressure resulting ingreater variations in lap vthickness and integrity. Accordingly, lapsformed.

under prior known systems have less density and are .more prone tosplitting than laps formed by means of this invention.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide means forapplying and maintaining a predetermined amount of pressure equally oneach end of the lap roll to subject the lap to constant uniform pressurethroughout its width and lengthas the diameter of the lap increasesthrough build up of the lap on the roll.

It is another object of this invention to provide means forautomatically relieving pressure from the lap roll upon the build up ofthe lap thereon reaching a predetermined diameter.

V It is another object of this invention to provide vmeans 3,621,084Patented Feb. 13, 1962 for applying a greater amount of pressure to thelap roll than has heretofore been possible resulting in a greater numberof layers of lap in each completed lap roll, hence greatly increasedproduction and less down time for each machine. The denser more uniformlaps made possible by this invention also result in increased productionand better quality in subsequent processing.

ln the preferred embodiment of the invention these objectives areattained by the provision of a fluid pressure system and mechanicalcontroll linkage whereby fluid pressure is selectively applied to andrelieved from each end of the lap roll in response to starting andstopping of the machine and wherein the uid pressure system comprisesiiuid pressure means associated with each end of the lap roll, a sourceof uid pressure, a conduit extending between said source and said fluidpressure means, and a valve arrangement interposed in the conduit meansfor controlling the amount and flow of tiuid pressure.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objectswill appear as the description proceeds, when taken in connection withthe accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary front elevation of a lapping machine showingan embodiment of the improved pressure means in association therewith;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of the discharge end of themachine looking at the right-hand side of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary side elevation of the machine looking at theopposite side thereof from that shown 12, in which-opposite ends of avertically disposed row of horizontall calender rolls 13 are rotatablymounted. The lowermost roll 13 carries a spur gear 15 and a beveled gear16.

During operation of the machine, the gear 1'5 is engaged by a gear 26fixed on a drive shaft 21 journaled in an operating or control lever 22pivoted at 23 to the frame 10 or a suitable bracket bolted thereto. Thedrive shaft 21 carries a belt pulley 24 on Which a constantly drivenbelt 25 is mounted for imparting rotation to the rdrive shaft 21.

As is Well known, the web or lap passes from the calender rolls 13 to aconventional lap roll or lap pin 26 upon which the lap 27 is wound andbeneath which the usual driven supporting rollers 30 an-d 31 arepositioned for supporting and rotating the lap roll or lap pin 26 andits accumulated lap 27. The lap rollers 30 and 31 are journaled in theside frame members 10 and 11 and are driven by suitable well-knownconnections, not shown, driven by the gear 15.

The control or operating lever 22 penetrates a bracket 32 carried by theside frame member 11 and said bracket is provided with a shoulder 33upon which the control or operating lever 22 rests when in operative 4orraised position as shown in FIGURES l and 2. Suitable knockoii means,not shown herein but which may be of the type shown in sa-id Patent No.1,037,327, are operatively connected to the control lever 22 forstopping the machine upon a predetermined amount of lap building up onthe lap roll 26. The parts heretofore described are the usual parts of apicker machine or lapping machine and it is with these parts that theimproved lap evener is adapted to be associated.

In order to exert a uniform predetermined downward pressure equally oneach end of the lap roll 26 while the machine is running, so as to causethe lap roll 26 and its accumulated lap 27 to engage the supportingrollers 30, 31 under uniform pressure as the diameter of the lap 27increases, I have provided means for delivering uid pressu-re to eachend of the lap roll 26 including a uid pressure operated device whichmay comprise a pair of cylinders 3S, 36 closed at their upper and lowerends and supported on respective oiset portions 37, 38 of respectiveuprights or standards 41, 42. 'I'he standards 41, 42 extend downwardlypast and rearwardly of the lap roll 26 and are each suitably secured tothe side frame members 11 and 12, respectively.

Each of the cylinders 35, 36 has a piston 43 mounted for verticalsliding movement therein, to which is secured the upper end of a pistonrod or ram 44. The piston rods 44 extend downwardly and slidablypenetrate the bottoms of the respective cylinders and the respectiveoffset portions 37, 38 of the standards 41, 42, and each of the pisltonrods 44 has -a head block 45 fixed on the lower end thereof. Each of thehead blocks 45 comprises a p-air of pressure rolls 46 suitably journaledtherein for engagement with the lap roll 26.

The iiuid pressure means also includes suitable conduits or pipes 50, 51for delivering tiuid under pressure to the upper ends of respectivecylinders 35, 36, and may also include conduits or pipes 52, 53communicatively connected to the lower portions of respective cylinders35, 36. The conduits S0, 51 are adapted to deliver fluid pressure to theupper surface of the pistons 43 to impart downward pressure on the headblocks 45 while the machine is in operation and the conduits 52, 5.3connected to the lower portions of the cylinders 35, 36 are adapted todeliver pressure to the lower surface of the pistons 43 to thereby liftthe head blocks 45 from the lap roll when it is desired to remove thelap roll from the machine. It is contemplated that various other devicesmay be utilized to lift the head blocks from engagement with the laproll to permit removal of the lap from the machine, but in the preferredembodiment of the invention it is deemed desirable to utilize the samesource of uid pressure to raise the head blocks as is utilized to impartuniform downward pressure equally on each end of the lap roll while thelap Ibuilds up thereon.

To this end, the ends of the conduits 50, S1 remote from the cylinders35, 36 are communicatively connected to a common conduit 54 by means ofa T 55, and the ends of the conduits 52, 53 remote from their respectivecylinders 35, 36 are connected to acommon conduit 56 by means of a T 57(FIGURES 2 and 5). The proximal ends of the conduits 54, 56 areconnected to a suitable control valve which may comprise a four-wayvalve assembly broadly designated at 60 and preferably located adjacentthe operating lever 22 of the lapping machine.

rIfhe four-way valve 60 is shown schematically in FIG- URE and comprisesa stationary housing 61 and a movable core 62, the core 62 being shownas a revolvable core in FIGURE 5.Y The core 62 is fixed to a lever orcrank arm 63 (FIGURE 2) which extends forwardly from the housing 61 ofthe four-way valve 60 and has the lower end`of a connecting rod or link64 pivotally connected thereto. The connecting rod 64 extends upwardlyand is pivotally connected intermediate the ends of the control oroperating lever 22of the picker machine. It is thus seen that movement`of the lever 22 in either direction responsive to either theconventional or other type of knock-off mechanism or to manual actuationcauses cor- `responding 'movement of the crank Marm 63 'and its'connected core 62 of the valve 60. The core 62 has passageways 65 and66 therein and the housing 61 has a discharge pipe 67 connected theretowhich, in the event of air pres sure being used as the motivating forcefor the pistons 43 in the cylinders 35 and 36, communicates with theatmosf phere. Otherwise, the discharge pipe may communicate with asuitable reservoir, such as the source of uidl pressure.

Also connected to the housing 61, for communication with the core 62thereof, are the proximal ends of the conduits 54, 56 and an inlet pipeor conduit 70. The inlet conduit 70 extends between the valve 60 and asuitable Source of uid pressure, not shown, and has interposed therein apressure indicating gauge 71 and a pressure regulator valve 72 which ispreferably of the self-relieving type, but if desired a separatepressure relief valve may be interposed in the llud pressure system.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is controlled through thelever 22 of the picker machine and when this lever is in the lowered orinoperative position, and the gear 20 is spaced from the gear 15, thisautomatically moves the linkage 64, 63 so as to cause the valve core 62to occupy the position shown in FIGURE 5. Thus, air or fluid underpressure flows from the pipe 70 through the passageway 66 of the valvecore 62, through the pipe 56 and the pipes 52, 53 to the lower' ends ofthe cylinders 35, 36. This causes the pistons 43 to move upwardly andthe heads or head blocks 45 to assume a raised position spaced above thelap roll 26, thus facilitating removal of the lap roll 26 with itsaccumulated lap and replacement thereof with an empty lap roll. f

Upon the control lever 22 being raised to operative position inengagement with the shoulder 33, this automatically actuates the linkage64, 63 so as to rotate the valve core 62 within the valve 60 in such amanner as to aline the passageway 65 with the pipe 56 and the dischargepipe 67, and, at the same time, to aline the passageway 66 of the valvecore 62 with the pipes 54 and 70. Thus, tluid or air under pressure thenpasses through the passageway 66 in the valve core 62 and thus throughthe pipe 54 and pipes 50, 51 to the upper ends of the re spectivecylinders 35, 36. This causes the pistons 43 to move downwardly andcauses the rollers 46 carried by the head blocks 45 to engage oppositeends of the lap pin 26 under equal pressure. It is evident that thecornpressed air beneath the pistons 43 returns through the pipes 52, 53,through the passageway 65 in the valve core 62 and is discharged throughthe discharge pipe 67.

Y The pressure regulator valve 72 and its associated pressure reliefvalve means may be adjusted to maintain a desired amount of pressure onthe head blocks 45 and in turn on the lap roll 26, which pressure willbe indicated on the pressure gauge 71. As the diameter of the lapincreases thereby correspondingly increasing the distance between thelap roll and its supporting rollers 30 and 31, which in turn tends toincrease the pressure on the lap roll 26, the excess pressure isrelieved through the selfurelieving pressure regulator valve 72 orthrough any other suitable pressure relief valve associated with the uidpressure system. In this manner a constant uni' form downward pressureis applied equally to each endl of the lap roll 26 throughout the buildup of the lap thereon and despite the varying diameter vof the lap.

It should be noted that uniform and equal pressure is applied to bothends of lap pin 26 regardless of variations in density of successivemasses of fibers in the lap 27. In other words, assuming that lapportions of normal or mean density are moving adjacent both head blocks45 and equal pressure is then being applied to lap pin 26 by both headblocks 45, upon a lap portion of higher than normal density (such as athickened or hard spot in the lap) moving adjacent one of the headblocks 45, this head block is then raised to a greater extent than theother head block 45. However, there is no increase in the pressureexerted by either head block 45 because any excess fluid pressure thuseffected in the respective cylinder 35 or 36 is relieved through thepressure relief valve.

Now, as soon as the lap portion of higher than normal density passessaid one head block, fluid pressure previously displaced from therespective cylinder is admitted thereto by regulator valve 72. Thus,even though a head block 45 is permitted to drop quite suddenly, thereis no lapse in the uniformity of applied pressure. Essentially this sameoperation occurs whenever a lap portion of lower than normal densityfollows a lap portion of normal or high density past either or both ofthe head blocks or when any portions of the lap 27 vary as to densitythroughout its width during formation of the lap roll.

When the build up of the lap reaches a desired diameter the controllever 22 is moved to inoperative position by the knock-off mechanismthereby actuating the control valve 60 to relieve pressure from theupper portions of the cylinders 35 and 36 and to introduce pressure intothe lower portions of the cylinders 35, 36, thereby elevating thepistons 43 within their respective cylinders to move the head blocks 45out of engagement with the lap roll 26 to permit its removal from themachine.

There is thus provided an improved pressure means for lapping machineswhereby predetermined amounts of pressure may be applied uniformly toeach end of the lap roll as the lap accumulates thereon, which pressureremains constant despite the varying diameter of the lap, and whereinmeans may also be provided in accordance with the invention forautomatically lifting the head blocks from the lap roll upon the lapreaching a predetermined diameter.

This application is a continuation of my copending application SerialNo. 327,796, led December 24, 1952 and now abandoned.

In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferredembodiment of the invention and although specific terms are employed,they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only, and not forpurposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in theclaims.

I claim:

1. In a lap forming machine having a frame, a pair of supporting rollersjournaled in the frame, a rotatable lap pin onto which a lap of textilefibers is wound into a compressed roll supported on said rollers. and apair of head blocks disposed above and engageable with opposite ends ofthe lap roll; means for maintaining uniform pressure on the lap rollthroughout its width and diameter and throughout the length of the lapof textile fibers forming the roll comprising a pair of double-actingcylinders spaced above the respective head blocks and being fixedlysupported relative to said frame, a piston in each cylinder, a pistonrod fixed to each piston and extending downwardly and being attached tothe respective head block, first and second conduit means connected tothe respective upper and lower ends of said cylinders and leading from asource of fiuid pressure, a control valve interposed in said conduitmeans for selectively directing fluid pressure to either of said firstand second conduit means, and a pressure regulator valve in said conduitmeans.

2. A structure according to claim 1 in which said machine is providedwith a member movable between two positions for respectively operatingand stopping the machine, and connections between said member and saidcontrol valve for establishing communication between said source and thefirst conduit means when said member occupies a position for operatingthe machine, and for cutting off the ow of iiuid pressure through saidfirst conduit means while introducing the fluid pressure into saidsecond conduit means when said member is moved to said stoppingposition.

3. In a lap forming machine having a frame, a lap roll and a pair ofsupporting rollers journaled in the frame and a head block engageablewitheach end of the lap roll; means for applying and maintaining apredetermined amount of pressure equally on each of the head blocksduring operation of the machine to subject the lap roll and theaccumulated lap thereon to constant uniform pressure regardless of thediameter of the lap on the lap roll, means for relieving the pressurefrom the head blocks and moving the head blocks out of engagement withthe lap roll, said first-named means comprising a uid pressure systemoperatively connected to said head blocks, said fluid pressure systemincluding a fluid pressure source wherein fluid is maintained underpressure at least equal to said predetermined amount of pressure, a uidconduit extending from the fluid pressure source and through whichpressure is transmitted to the head blocks, a pressure regulator valveand a pressure relief valve interposed in said conduit, said pressureregulator valve being adjustable to admit said predetermined amount ofpressure from the uid pressure source to the head blocks and thepressure relief valve being adjustable to relieve pressure in excess ofsaid predetermined amount of pressure from the head blocks whereby, uponthe diameter of the lap accumulating on the lap roll increasing tocorrespondingly increase the pressure on the head blocks, the pressurerelief valve will relieve the excess pressure on the head blocksoccasioned by the increased diameter of the lap to thereby maintain thelap roll under constant uniform pressure, said fluid pressure systemalso including a duid pressure operated device associated with each headblock, each device including piston and cylinder elements, one of saidelements being stationary and the other of said elements being attachedto the respective head block and movable therewith, said fluid conduitbeing communicatively connected to each end of each cylinder element,each cylinder element being normally sealed against communication withthe atmosphere, a control valve and a discharge pipe interposed in saidfluid conduit for selectively directing fiuid pressure to either end ofsaid cylinder elements and for relieving fluid pressure from the otherend of the cylinder elements whereby fiuid pressure may be introduced tocorresponding ends of the cylinders to impart a constant uniformpressure to the lap roll during operation of the machine, and may beintroduced to the other ends of the cylinders to disengage the headblocks from the lap roll.

4. In a machine for forming a ylap from textile fibers of varyingdensity, said machine including a frame, a lap pin, a pair of lap rollsupporting rollers journaled in said frame, and a head block engageablewith each end of the lap pin; the combination of a separate fluidpressure operated device for each head block, each device comprising apiston element and a cylinder element, one of said elements beingstationary, the other of said elements being movable with and attachedto the respective head block, common conduit means connecting saidcylinder elements to a source of fluid pressure and being arranged toapply pressure on the head blocks during operation of the machine tosubject opposed ends of the lap pin and the accumulated lap roll thereonto such pressure, pressure regulating valve means interposed in saidcommon conduit means to thereby introduce constant uniform pressure toboth of said cylinders and to subject both ends of said lap pin and itslap roll to constant uniform pressure, pressure relief valve meansoperatively associated with said conduit means for relieving pressureexceeding that passed by the regulating valve means so that excesspressure on the head blocks, produced by increasing diameter of the laproll on said pin, is relieved by the relief valve means and so that,upon occurrence of a portion of higher than normal density in one end ofsaid lap roll as compared to normal density in the other end of the laproll, the excess pressure thus effected `as compared to normal densityin -the other end of the 'lap roll, the regulator valve means passes anamount of pressure into the cylinders to continue the application ofuniform `pressure in both cylinders and on both head blocks.

References Cited in the file qf this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS TiceMar. 1, 1938 Curley May 11, 1954 Strassler July 6, 1954 Strassler Aug.10, 1954

